Interleukin 14α (IL-14α) is a cytokine that has been shown to participate in the formation and maintenance of normal B cell memory. Though the role of IL-14α in many immunological processes and diseases has remained poorly defined, there are some studies which suggest growth promoting activities of IL-14α for a limited number of B cell precursors, acute lymphocytic leukemia cells, most chronic lymphocytic leukemias (derived from B1 B cells), and all high-grade germinal center derived B cell malignancies, such as Burkitt lymphoma and Immunoblastic lymphoma. Thus, there is a need for compositions and methods that can alter the effects of IL-14α in autoimmune and cell proliferation disorders such as Systemic Lupus Erythromatoses (SLE), Sjogren's syndrome, and lymphomas of lymphoid origin.